Blind stitching means



Dec. 22, 1964 R. J. cHlNNlcl, JR

BLIND sTITcHING MEANS 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 6. 1961 www.

Dec. 22, 1964 R. J. CHINNICI', JR

BLIND STITCHAING MEANS '7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 6. 1961 INVENTOR..

4mm/Ev Dec. 22, 1964 R 1 CHlNNlcl, JR 3,162,157

BLIND sTITcHING MEANS Filed June 6, 1961 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR./PaM/P/a J/w {WMV/@ www. M

Dec. 22, 1964 R. J. cHlNNlcl, JR

BLIND STITCHING MEANS 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 6, 1961 S il m\ h CM x.m TML.

INVENTOR. fdr/4,6m JZ//N (MNM/@JR M w. CM

Armen/fr Dec. 22, 1964 R. J. cHlNNlCl, JR

BLIND STITCHING MEANS 7 Sheets-snee?l 5 Filed June 6, 1961 Dec. 22, 1964R. J. cHlNNlcl, JR

BLIND sTITcHING MEANS 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 6. 1961 INVENTOR.

T l D fam/a JA/m/A//Q BY MA w CIM Dec. 22, 1964 R. J. cHlNNlcl, JR

BLIND STITCHING MEANS 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed June 6, 1961 fin. l E.

IN VEN TOR. fame/a Jw //wA//q /k BY United States Patent lilice maar??Patented Dec. 22 i964.

3,162,157 BLIND STITCHING MEANS Rosario John Chinnici, Jr., Garden City,N Y., assigner to Peerless Sewing Machine Company, New York, NX., acorporation of New York Filed June 6, i961, Ser. No. 123,343 3 Ciainls.(Cl. lib-176) This invention relates to sewing machines and moreespecially lto such machines equipped to produce stitching that is blindor unseen at a face of the fabric. The invention more particularlyrelates to such sewing machines -for blind stitching .a piece ofmaterial to a flat tape.

Sewing machines have been proposed heretofore for producing blindstitching, thatis, stitching which is not visible or may be only faintlyvisible at a face of the fabric. Machines for making belt loops, forexample, have been constructed with devices for folding a strip ofmaterial lengthwise thereof, or for creating a longitudinal hump orridge therein, through which fold or ridge the needle is passed in sucha manner that the stitch is not visible or is only faintly visible atthe face of the material which in the stitching operation is within thefold. In stitching a tape to a piece of material, for example to agarment, the fold has been formed longitudinally of the tape and theneedle is passed through the arcuate portion of the fold at the exteriorface of the thus -folded tape. Having regard to the thickness of thetape, the stitch thereby enters the structure of the tape so as securelyto hold the tape to the material of the garment but it does not show oronly faintly shows upon the face of the tapeV if, upon completion of thestitching, the tape is unfolded from its longitudinally foldedposition.v In such machines it is necessary to fold the tape at thefolding device from its flat condition in a continuous -fold along thelength of the tape and it has been found, after completing thestitching, that the tape does not readily resume its flat condition,especially when the tape is made with elastic elements ordinarilyextending lengthwise of the tape in a closely woven structure.

`It also has been proposed, forexample in making belt loops, to fold ina suitable folding device a strip of Inaterial ordinarily with two foldsrespectively of the longitudinal edge portions of the strip toward thelongitudinal center line of the strip, and thereafter to fold or bendthe thus folded strip upon a line -crosswise of its length with thefolded edge portions disposed outwardly in the bend. 'Ihestitchingusually is effected by means of two needles piercing the bendat the respective sides of the center line or may be effected in astepwise motion of -a single needle. In each case the needle is requiredto pass through the two folded edge portions of the `thus double foldedmaterial at either side of the center line as well as through theportions upon which they are folded. It is dicult to control thestitching, especially with elastic fabrics. Such belt loop strips areintended to beextended lengthwise again from the folding on thecrosswise line but in their longitudinally folded form retain a somewhatrounded and not a at form.

In the sewing of tapes, particularly elastic tapes, to material forundergarments or the like, especially where this material itself ifstretchable or elastic because of its structure usually made by specialtypes` of weave, it isV desirable to maintain the strip or the elastictape in a llat position and at against the material and to support thetape in this position as the stitching of the tape to the material iseffected, so that the tape and the material may be better controlled forthe sewing. It is, moreover, important to control the tension placedupon both the strip or the elastic tape and the tension on the materialand to effect the feeding movement of these two parts which are to bestitched together in such a manner that, when the stitching is completedand the tape, if elastic, resumes its normal length, the desired amountof shirring will be provided which is suitable for the different formsof garments of this type.

It is an object of the invention to provide asewing machine capable ofstitching Ia flat fabric with a stitch which is blind at one face of thefabric without elfecting longitudinal folding of the fabric.

It is another object of the invention to provide a sewing machine forstitching a tape along the length thereof with a -blind stitch at oneface thereof without making a longitudinal fold therein.

It is a further object of the invention to stitch together a tape, whichmay be elastic, and a piece of material along the length of the flattape applied to the piece with the stitching blind at the exposed faceof the tape.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide means forcontrolling the movement of the flat fabric or tape as well as the pieceof material inthe sewing machine, especially in stitching an elastictape to a piece of material, which will bring the tape into the properrelation to the piece with respect to the length of the piece alongwhich the tape is stitched.

it is an additional object of the invention to provide a pullerattachment for la sewing machine which will con' trol the movement of afabric or tape being stitched, or the movement of the tape and thematerial to which it is being blind stitched, in such a manner as tocompensate for variations in the thickness of the materials and forprominences such as seams in the fabric or tape, or in the material towhich it is being sewed.

Itis a feature of the invention in a broad aspect thereof to providecertain novel means to be described in association with a needle plateof a sewing machine which has an extent for supporting in at relationthereto a flat fabric or a flat tape to be stitched, the machine alsohaving a needle supported for movement thereof lengthwise thereof'transversely of the needle plate and means for effecting movement of theflat fabric or the tape in a given direction over a face of the needleplate transversely of the line of movement of the needle. The novelmeans referred to includes means for effecting delivery of the flatfabric or of the tape from a location at a given side of the plane ofthe surface of the needle plate upon which the flat fabric or the flattape bears, or upon which the material to which the tape is sewed bears.It also includes means `disposed adjacent the path of delivery andengaging the flat fabric or tape for changing the direc tion ofmovementof the fiat fabric or of the tape from an initial direction tothe given direction of feeding movement of the at fabric or tape overthe needle plate. This means for changing the direction of movementengages the flat fabric or tape so as to effect bending or fold- K ingthereof upon a line extending transversely of the given direction,this'line being adjacent the line of movement Y the fabric or of thetape.

, 3 1 1 of the needle. The disposition is such that the needle piercesthe flat fabric at the outer face of the bend or in the outer portion ofthe arcuate fold of the flat fabric or tape to produce a stitch that isblind at lthe opposite face or the side of the fabric within the fold.

The means for changing the direction of movement of the Hat fabric orflat tape is such as to engage the flat fabric or the flat tape at oneface thereof and in such manner that the line upon which the bend isformed or the line of the fold extends transversely of the givendirection of movement fully over a transverse dimension of Thus, theneed of effecting a longitudinal fold which may thereafter persist inthe fabric orin the tape is obviated. The flat fabric or the hat tape asAit movesr .throughout its extent remains in its flat conditiontransversely -of its length during the delivery thereof and as it passesthe direction changing means, as well as 'after it leaves the directionchanging means. The material to be stitched to the flat fabric or tapealso remains flat, and is not required to bel stitched to a fold Whichis not well supported as in the case of folding upon a longitudinallyextending line.

In elastic tapes that are stitched to stretchable material such as isused in the manufacture of undergarments, the

yelastic elements of the tape ordinarily extend lengthwise of the tapeand the weave is such that the tape will readily resume its flatcondition when bent or folded upon a line extending transversely of'itslength. These longitudinal elastic elements which constitute at leastpart of the warp ofthe tape usually are held quite closely by thetransverse threads or weft which ordinarily are liner threads than theelastic elements, so that the construction resists the bending orfolding along a longitudinal line to the f form required by conventionalmachines and also resists restoration of the tape from a thus foldedcondition to the flat condition. In the operation of the device of theinvention the elastic elements of the tape may be readily bent to theform for the stitching and aid in restoring the tape to the at conditionafter it isrreleased from being bent or folded along the linetransversely of its length for accomplishing the blind stitching bypas-sing the needle through the outer face of the bend or the outerarcuateV portion of the fold. When a tape is to be sewed to a ofmovement, as above mentioned, theinvention provides y a feed roll devicedisposedadjacent the *path of delivery of the flat fabric or tape as itmoves toward the needle plate and the means for changing-the directionof movement ofthe tape; This feed roll device is constructed to engageand move the tape forwardly toward the direc- Vtion changing means whilealso providing for release of the tape froml the feed roll device sothat it may be adjusted readily with respect to this feed roll deviceand 'to the direction changing'mea'ns and other parts. This feed rollAdevice and the direction changing means are disposed so las to V'engageand control the flat fabric or tape VWithout interfering with the normalfeeding movement of the piece of material to which it is to be stitched.

To control the movement of the ii'at fabric or the dat tape as -it isbeing stitched, or movement of the llat fabric or tape stitched to Vapiece of material, the invention provides afpuller rollV device of novelconstruction which makes it possible to change the forwardV movement ofVthe Vfabric or tape or'of the fabric or tape stitched to the .drivingthese rollers one from the other while also providing for separating orapproaching movement of the rollers one relative to the other inaccordance with the variations in the thickness of the tape or of thematerial or both such as may be caused by purposeful or fortuitousuneven fabric structure or by transverse seams or other causes. Thekinematic means is of such construction that when the two puller rollersbecome separated a greater distance, one of them is rotated at asomewhat greater speed or Ithrough a somewhat greater `angle of rotationin order to pull a somewhat greater length of the yfabric or tape or ofthe tape and the material through the rollers. Conversely, when thespacing of the rollers becomes reduced, the amount of movement effectedby the rollers also is reduced.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be moreclearly understood from a description of the drawings to follow, inwhich:

FIG. l is a side elevation of a sewing machine embodyingthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation taken at the right in FIG. l',

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation taken at the left in FlG. l;

FIG. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of FIG. 3 showing an improved pullerroller device;

FlG. 5 is a section on line 5 5 of FIGv l with certain parts removed;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section to enlarged scale taken on line 6 6 ofFIG. 5 i

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 7 7 of FlG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a section on line 3 8 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a section on line 9 of FIG. 5;

FIG. l0 is a plan View showing to enlarged scale a needle plate elementand the means for changing the direc tion of movement of the tape;

FlG. 1l is a section on line Il ll of FIG. 5 showing a clutch device;

7 FIG. l2 is a diagrammatic view in vertical section of a modifiedarrangement of the direction changing means;

FIG. 13 is a plan view from above in FIG. l2.

As shown in FIGS. l, 2 and 3, the sewing machine cornprises a frame 1which may be mounted on a suitable base 3. The lframe l Iprovides ahollow space 4, FIG. 5, within which a conventional mechanism isdisposed for effecting the usual movements of feed dogs and other parts,this mechanism being suitably operatively connected to the conventionalmeans which effects movement of the needle to pierce the fabric ormaterial being sewed. ln the embodiment shown 'the frame 1 provides aW-all 5 extending about the hollow space 4 and serving also for supportof bearings and other parts which are necessary for the operation of thefeed mechanism and for adjustment of the amount of feed. The top edge 7of this Wall, FlGS. l and 6, is disposed adjacent and Vsomewhat belowthe horizout-al plane of movement of the material being sewed. A cover 9having downwardly flared flanges 1l for protecting the material beingsewed from engagement with certain Iparts of vthe mechanism which aredisposed at the outer side of the wall S rests upon the upper edge 7 ofthe wall S and is secured to the wall or the frame by suitablemeans,'not shown. The top surface of the cover 9 provides a fiat surfacein the horizontal plane for support in a conventional manner of thematerial as it moves from the front of the machine, from the right inFG. l toward the rear of the machine, at the left in FIG. l, past thelocav tion of the needle and toward the location of a puller material toaccommodate for variationsy in the thickness.l

ofthe fabric ortape 'or of the stitched material. This puller rollAdevice comprises two cooperating rollers and roller device Where thisdevice is used.

In FIG. 5 the cover plate 9 is removed exposing the mechanism Aforeffecting the feeding movements and the mechanical connection therefromto and for operating the pullerrollers. Secured by screws 13 to theframe l is an auxiliary plate l5 which constitutes part of aconventional needle plate. This plate is provided with openingslftherein in which ,a front feed dog i@ moves horizon4 tally as well aswith a slight vertical movement in a conventional manner. The front feeddog 19 is disposed ahead of or at the front side of the location of theneedle 21, FIGS. l, 5 and 6. At the rear side of the location of theneedle rear feed dog 23 is disposed for horizontal and vertical movementin slots 25 which are provided in an element 27 which, in accordancewith the invention, is formed as part of the needle plate structure andprovides a flat surface in the same plane as the at surface of theauxiliary plate 15, these two surfaces being disposed in the plane ofthe top surface of the cover plate 9, so that the three surfaces of thecover plate 9, the auxiliary plate 15 and of the element 27 provide thesuppolt for the material -being sewed.

The front feed dogs 19 are formed as upwardly projecting portions of afeed bar 29, FIGS. 5 and 8, which is supported for its conventionalhorizontal and vertical movement by a bracket 31 having vertical guidelegs 32 one of which is in bearing relation to a vertical face of thebar 29, the bracket 31 being supported on a 4portion of the frame 1 asshown in FIG. 8. The rear end of the feed bar 29 is provided with a slot33 in which is disposed a rectangular element 35 which is supported onstud 36 secured in and projecting from a part of frame 1 for oscillatingmovement of the element 35. The upper and lower faces of the rectangularelement 35 are in sliding bearing relation to the adjacent faces of thebar 29 at the slot 33, so that the feed bar 29 may move generallyhorizont-ally while also moving in pivotal movement upon the stud 36 toprovide for the upward and downward movement of the front feed dog 19concomitant with its horizontal movement within the slots 17.

The horizontal movement of the feed bar 29 is accomplished byconventional means which in this embodiment includes an arcuate arm 37,FIG. 8, secured upon a shaft 39 which, by means to be described, isgiven an oscillating movement in the vertical plane. A connecting rod 41connects a stud 43 secured to the feed bar 29 with a mernber 45, FIG. 5disposed at one lface of the arcuate arm 37, a companion member 47disposed at the opposite face of the arcuate arm being secured by screws49 to the member 45. The adjustment of the parts 45, 47 is such thatthis assembly maybe moved in sliding relation along the arcuate arm 37to dispose a pin 51 to which rod 41 is pivotally connected at differentpositions along this arcuate ar-m, thus to produce greater or lesshorizontal movement of the feed bar 29 and of the dog 19 uponoscillating movement of the shaft 39. This disposition of the .pin 51 isaccomplished by means of the curved connecting link 53 which connectsthe member 45 to a pin 55 carried at the outer end of arm 57 secured onshaft 59, FIGS. 5 and 8. Upon .angular movement of the shaft 59 upwardand downward movement along the arcuate arm 37 is given to the member 45and the pin 51 to secure respectively the greater and less arcuatemovement of the pin 51 and therefore `greater and less horizontalmovement of the feed bar 29.

To secure the angular movement of the shaft 59 and the arm 57 the shaft59 extends through suitable bearings in the wall 5 of the frame 1outwardly thereof. At the outer end of the shaft 59 is secured amanually operable arm 61 carrying a stud 63 upon which is operable athumb nut 65, FIGS. l and 5. The stud 63 passes through a slot 67 in aplate 69 secured by screws 71 to the outer side of the wall 5 of theframe 1. By loosening the thumb nut 65 the arm 61 may be moved inangular movement about the axis of the shaft 59 upwardly and downwardly,the pin'63 moving along the slot 67, thereby to give angular movement tothe arm 57 and upward or downward movement of the pin 51 as abovementioned. When, by this adjustment the desired horizontal movement ofthe front feed dog 19 is secured, the thumb nut 65 may be operated toclamp the arm 61 in position to the plate 69.

In order to provide the upward and downward movement of the feed dogs19, the front feed dog bar 29 is provided with a lower parallel portion73 forming with the 6 main part of bar 29 a wide slot in which slides abearing member 75 having a circular bore 77 engaged by the circumferenceof an eccentric '79 secured on shaft 81. The shaft 81 and the partscarried thereby cooperating with the feed dog bar 29are of conventionaldesign and provide for the vertical movement of the front feed dogs` 19by virtue of the pivotal movement of the bar 29.upon the stud 36 as theshaft 81 rotates, the eccentric 79 being effective to move the bearingmember 75 upwardly and downwardly with concomitant upward and downwardmovement of the bar 29 and its parallel portion 73 engaged by member 75.In the upward and downward movement of the bar 29 the vertical surfacethereof engages the bracket 31 in vertical sliding relation thereto.

To accomplish the oscillating movement of the shaft 39 and of thearcuate arm 37 as described, there is secured upon the shaft 81, asshown in FIG. 7, a driving eccentric 83 to the circumferential surfaceof which is secured an inner face 85 of a ball bearing the outer race 87of which is secured to the eccentric strap 89. Upon rotation of theshaft 81 to the eccentric 83 effects movement of the center of theeccentric strap 89 about the axis of the shaft 81.

An eccentric arm 91 is rigidly connected to the eccentric strap andengages at its outer and a crank pin 93. The pin 93 is supported in twoupright legs 95 of a member 97 securely clamped by bolt 99 upon theshaft 39, the end hub portion of the eccentric arm 91 being disposedbetween the two legs 95. As the center of the eccentric 83 moves aboutthe center of the shaft 81 to move the pin 93 to and fro horizontally,the legs 95 are pivotally moved about the axis of the shaft 39 to effectoscillating movement of this shaft and oscillating movement of thearcuate arm 37 as above described. The member 97 also is provided withan extension 101 extending downwardly with respect to the shaft 39 andcarrying a pin 103, FIG. 7, upon which is pivotally supported a head 105connecting rod'107. The other end of the connecting rod 107 carries acoupling head 109 and its cooperating cap 111 engaging a pin 113 securedto the downwardly extending arm 115, the pin 113 being disposed in and slidable along a slot 116-to different positions at which it may besecured by operation of the pin 113, in nut 114. The arm is clamped bythe bolt 117 on the shaft 119 of a pull roller mechanism further to bedescribed.

It will be understood that the pivotal movement given to the legs 95 ofthe member 97 by the eccentric 83 also is effective to move theextension 101 and the pin 103 carried thereby in angular reciprocatingmovement, thereby to effect reciprocating movement of the head 109through the connecting rod 107 and corresponding reciprocating movementof the pin 113 and the arm 115 pivotallywith the shaft 119. This actionproduces continued oscillation of the shaft 119 upon continued rotationof the shaft 81. The shaft 81 extends beyond the space 4 within vthewalls 5 of the frame 1 in FIG. 5, that is toward the right in FIG. 2,and is connected to driving mechanism and power means, not shown andconventional in a sewing machine, to effect rotation of the shaft 81.

Also secured upon the shaft 39 for oscillating movement therewith is abracket 121, FIG. 9, secured by bolt 123. The bracket 121 is providedwith a slot 125 in which is disposed a pin 127 extending parallel to theshaft 39, the pin being adapted to be clamped to bracket 121 indifferent positions along Vthe slot so as to be moved dierent amounts atthe different positions outwardly from the axis of the shaft 39. Alink129 is pivotally connected to a pin 127 and to a pin 130 secured in thedownwardly extending part of a rear feed dog bar 131. The feed dog bar131 is provided with a slot 135 in which is disposed a slide block 137carried by theistud 36 secured in frame 1 for oscillating movement ofthe block on theV axis of this stud. The block 137 functions similarlyto the block 35 in providing for pivoting movement ofthe feed dog bar131 and for the reciprocating movement 7- thereof similar to that of thefeed bar 29. -The pin 127, asY it reciprocates in the oscillatingmovement of shaft 39, cooperates with the link 129 and pin 130 to effecther1- zontal reciprocating movement of the feed dog bar 131 and theresulting reciprocating-movement of the rear feed dog.' 23 carried atthe right lhand end of the bar 13 1 and. which, as shown in FIGQ9, ismoved generally horizontallyin the. slots 23 as above mentioned.

The vertical movement of the feed dog 23 is accomplished by virtue of abearing member 139 in engagement with the surfaces of lthe feed bar 131and its lower portion 141 which deiine slot 143 in which bearing member139 is disposed. Secured on shaft 81 is eccentric 145 the circumferenceof which is disposed in the bore ofthe member 139.. It will beunderstood, similarly to the bearing member. 75, that the mechanismjustdescribed accomplishes the vertical pivotal movement of the feed bar 131on the stud 343r while allowing for the horizontal movement thereof, sothat the feed dog 23 is moved in a conventional manner both horizontallyandpvertically in the slots 25. The feed dog bar 131 also is supportedby the bracket 31 which provides the upwardly extending legs 32 betweenwhich the two feed dog bars 29 and 131 are disposed for the horizontaland vertical movement required thereof.

As maybe seen in'FIGS. l and 2, the needle 21 is supported in a needlecarrying structure 151 which is movable downwardly and upwardly upon acylindrical bar 153 extending downwardly from and supported by asuperstructure .155, provision lbeing made for the usual thread guidesVandtension devices which are not part of the present invention, thethread, however, passing through a guide slot 157, FIG. 2, anddownwardly to the eye of the needle 21. In the embodiment shown thecylindrical bar 153 is'disposed with its axis inl inclined relation tothe vertical and the needle is supported so that its movement is in thedirection of its length parallel tothe bar 153.

The sewing machine also is provided with the usual `presser foot 159,-FIGS. 1 and 2, which is of such form and extent as to press upon thematerial being sewed as it moves in engagement with the feed dogs 19 and23. The pressure is exerted upon the presser foot 159 by the toe 161 ofa lever 163 supported for pivotal v movement upon a bearing member 16S.suitably supported by the frame 1. The pressure is exerted upon theVlever 163 by a pressure member 167 guided in housing 168 and biased bya spring or otherwise downwardly in` FIG. 1 to bring a roller 169carried by the member '167 intoengagement with a circular notch 171formed at the upper side of the lever 163. The lever 163 also, forconvenience in removing the presser foot from the location of the feeddogs, is supported upon stud 173 for swinging movement away from thelocationgof these dogs and of the needle toward the left in FIG. 2.

v Theline of movement of the needle which is parallel to the cylindricalbar 153 passes through the plane of the element 27 and of the auxiliaryplate 15 ata location between the front feed dog 19 and the rear-.feeddog 23.

lThe element 27 is formed :in this embodiment with an v edge portion175, FIGS. and 10, the edge 177 of which isstraight and extends at an-angle 'to ythe line fof movement of the material being s ewed alongwhich movement is effected bythe feed dogs 19 Yand 23, this line ofmovement being generally parallel to the horizontal movement of the feedbars 219 and 131. The edge 177 of the element 27 may be slightly roundedin the thickness of the element, as indicated lby the shading in FGS. 5and 'As shown -in FIG. V6, theelem'ent 27 isset in a recess 179 cut inthe upper face of the auxiliary plate 15. The

CFI

element 27 is secured -to the plate 15 by a slotted head so as to beflush with the surface of the element 27 and for clamping the element inplace. The element 27 has an edge 187 extending parallel to the line ofmovement of the feed dogs in engagement with the adjacent edge 139 ofrecess 179 provided in the auxiliary plate 15. The opposite edge of theelement 27 parallel to the edge 187 engages the opposite edge 19% ofrecess 179. The edges 189 and 190 serve as guides for the element 27 sothat this element may be moved parallel to the line of feed and disposedin different positions along this line of feeding movement. Thus, anotch 191 formed in the edge portion 175 of the element 27, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 1G, by virtue of the adjustment which is possible in theprovision of the screw 181 and the slot 183 is adjustable to differentpositions relative to the line of movement of the needle in order thatthis needle shall be brought into the right relation to the flat fabricor the tape to be stitched to provide for the blind stitching which itis the purpose of the invention to secure.

In the embodiment being described the element 27, and particularly theportion 175 and the edge 177 thereof, constitutes means for changing thedirection of movement of the flat fabric, illustrated in the drawing bya tape 195. Auxiliary means to be described are provided for controllingthe movement of the tape 19S in a path of delivery which in thisembodiment is effected toward the location of the needle from below theneedle plate and the element 27. The tape, as it approaches the element27 in this embodiment, moves in a horizontal plane below the element 27and the auxiliary plate 15 perpendicular to the line of horizontalmovement of the feed dogs. When the tape reaches the edge 177 of theelement 27 it is turned upwardly, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 10, and thenproceeds toward the left, as shown in part in dot and dash lines in FIG.10. Thus, the tape 195 is bent or folded about the edge 177 and then ismoved in the direction designated herein as the given direction parallelto the line of movement of the feed dogs, being brought into this givendirection from an initial direction of movement which in this embodimentis vertical, perpendicular to the paper in FIG. l0, upwardly in FIG. 6,at the edge 177 of the element 27 and about a line which is transverseto the given direction of movement. In this embodiment the line of theedge 177 is at 4 to the given direction.

The delivery of the tape 195 toward the needle plate, that is, towardthe element 27, is effected in a path extending generally transverselyof the plane of the face of the needle plate and of the element 27 uponwhich the tape and the material are moved in the sewing operation. Itwill be understood, where the delivery of the tape 195 is horizontaltoward the location of the needle and at right angles to the line ofmovement of the feed dogs as in FIG. l0, the edge 177 of the plate beingdisposed at 45 to the line of movement of the feed dogs, that the edge177 also is at 45 to the horizontal delivery of the tape, so that whenthe tape is turned up over the edge 177V it may proceed in the givendirection of movement which is parallel to the movement of the feed dogsand parallel to the movement of the material being sewed.

In order to dispose the tape. as it moves parallel to the givendirection of movement properly With respect to the material to which itis to be sewed, an edge guide 197 is supported upon a bracket 199secured by screw 201 to the frame or" the machine. The guide 197 is heldby screw 263 which may be disposed in a slot 265 extending generallyhorizontally in guide 197 to provide for movement of the guide 197toward and away from the tape along the line parallel to the edge 177,so that the edge 198 of the guide 197 may be brought into engagementwith the adjacent edge 196 of the tape. The bottom edge portion of theguide 197 engages andis siidable along a groove 20d in the element 27.As shown in FIG. l0, the material 207 which is lto be sewed to the tapeis fed from the front part of the machine by the feed dog 19,

, in changing its direction.

a portion of this material being broken away in FIG. 10 to show theelement 27 and its relation to plate 15. The material is disposed aboveand in contact with the upper face of the portion of the tape 195 whichextends from the edge 177 upon the top surface of the element 27 andtoward the left in FIGS. 6 and l0. The feed dog 19 controls the forwardmovement of the material 207. Since the feed dog 23 is disposedforwardly in the line of movement, that is, toward the rearward side ofthe machine with respect to the needle 21, the feed dog 23 effectsmovement of the tape 195 in the forward direction as shown by the arrowin FIGS. 6 and 10.

The stitches 2139 are inserted by the needle adjacent the notch 191 bysuitably adjusting the element 27 toward the left or right in FIG. 10and by suitably adjusting the guide 197 along the inclined line parallelto the edge 177 v of FIG. l0. The tape as a fiat fabric thus may bebrought into such relation to the needle 21, as the tape is bent orfolded over the edge 177, that the needle passes through the outer partof the bend or fold, that is to say, through the outer arcuate portionof the fold. The needle thus may insert stitches in the tape which,although they appear on the outer surface of the tape at the bend orfold, are blind on the inner side which is ,disposed against the edge177. These stitches, if it is so desired for decoration or otherpurpose, may be inserted in the tape without sewing the tape to a pieceof material. Ordinarily, however, a piece of material 297 is to bestitched to the tape with blind stitching on the face of the tape whichis at the opposite side thereof from the material 267. In such case theneedle inserts the stitches through the material and into the fold ofthe tape, the relation of the tape to the needle being determined by theelement 27 and its edge 177 and by guide 197.

It will bei noted that the fold or bend which is made in the flatfabric, in this case the hat tape 195, is along a line which istransverse to the lengthwise extent of the tape and that this fold orbend is made without eecting any longitudinal fold in the tape. The tapeis retained in its at condition throughout its extent and width,although it is bent or folded as it moves over the edge 177 Especiallywith elastic tapes having elastic warp threads running lengthwise of thetape, the fold or bend which is made at the edge 177 withoutlongitudinal folding `or creasing is not retained but the tape resumesits at condition as it proceeds in the given direction of movement, thatis, parallel to the line of movement of the feed dogs. To support thetape 195 as it is delivered toward the needle and toward the directionchanging edge 177 a tape support and guide plate 211 is disposed beneaththe element 2'7 and fastened by screws 212 to the underside of theauxiliary plate 15, the auxiliary Aplate being provided with a recess213 at its lower side through which the tape may move until it reachesthe edge 177 of the element 27. The tape thereupon bends upwardly, asshown in dotted lines in FIG. 6, and then intothe given line of movementtoward the left, FIG. 10. The needle 21 then effects the blind stitchingas has been described.

To control the delivery of -the tape 195 or a at fabric as it movestoward the direction changing edge 177, the sewing machine of theinvention is provided with a feed roll device for effectingundirectional movement of the tape generally toward the needle plate,that is, toward the location where the direction of movement of the tapev 10 223 to which at the left end of the feed roll 215 in FIG. 2 a crankmember 225 is secured. The outer portion of this crank member isprovided with pin 227 which is adjustably held in slot 229 of the crankmember, FIG. 1, to provide a lever arm of greater and less length uponthe axis of the feed roll 215. To the pin 227 is pivotally connected aconnecting rod231 which at its opposite end is pivotally connected 'topin 223 which is carried by'an eccentric 235 secured upon the shaft 81,this shaft being extended through the wall 5 of the frame. Upon rotationof the shaft 81 driven in the manner above described, the eccentric 235is etfective to provide movement of the axis of the pin about the axisof shaft 81 and reciprocating movement of the crank member 225 as wellas reciprocating movement of the disc 217, thereby, by virtue of theaction of the balls 221 of the clutch, to

produce intermittent unidirectional rotation of the feed roll 215 in thedirection of the arrow in FIG. l1.

Cooperating with the feed roll 215 is a presser roll 237 supported forrotation on its axis, this axis being eccentric to the axis of a shaft239 carrying the eccentric 241 the outer circumference of which engagesthe inner surface of the presser roll 237. Thus, it will be apparent,upon angular movement of the shaft 239 on itsaxis counterclockwise inFIG. 11, that the presser roll may be moved from the position shown infull lines in FIG. l1 with its periphery in engagement with theperiphery of the feed roll 215 to a position shown in dotted line inthis figure. This angular movement is effected by means of a hand lever243, FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, against the bias of a spring 245 one end of whichis held by pin 247 to the support 249 which supports the fed roll 215and presser roll 237 for rotation thereof on their axes, the spring 245being wrapped about a member 251 carrying lever 243, this member 251being connected to the eccentric 241. The spring has its outer endengaging the hand lever 243, to bias the lever in the clockwisedirection, FIG. 1. Pressure upwardly upon the lever 243 in FIGS. 1 and 2will effect counterclockwise movement of the presser roll 237 away fromthe feed roll 215, so that a tape or flat fabric which has been insertedbetween these rolls 215 and 237 is not gripped for feeding or deliverymovement thereof. Upon release of the hand lever 243 the presser roll237 returns to engagement with the feed roll 215 or with the fabric ortape disposed therebetween and upon rotation of the shaft 81intermittent feeding movement of the fabric or tape is effected towardthe left in FIGS. 1, 5 and 11.

As shown in FIG. 5 a guide element 253 is provided for guiding the tape195 from the horizontal left hand movement thereof in FIG. 5 upwardlygenerally toward the needle plate and its element 27, so that thetapemay move through the slot 213 when inserted therein and proceed to thelocation of the edge 117 about which the tape is to be bent or folded inthe manner which has been described. It will be noted that the deliveryof the flat fabric or the tape toward the needle and the directionchanging element 27 is provided in a path which extends generallytransversely to the face of the element upon which the tape or, thefabric is to be stitched and from the side of the plate which isopposite the face thereof. Thus the tape is moved into proper positionfor the stitching without interference with or by the material to whichit is to be sewed. Moreover, the tape itself it brought into theposition where it is foldedalong the line transversely f of the lengththereof and folding or bending thereof is accomplished withoutobstructing the view of the operation at the location at which theneedle is to penetrate either the tape alone or the material being sewed-to the tape. It is furtherl possible,.because there is no suchinterference, that the material which is approaching the needle may belifted from the plane of the needle plate and the surface of the element27 in order to examine the relation of the needle to the tape, eventhough the stitching of the material tothe tape has proceeded to acertain extent. This method of delivery of a flat fabric ofpredetermined width, such as a tape, is such that the desired blindstitching of the tape is accomplished While retaining its dat condition,that is, Without longitudinal folds but merely an easily removedtransverse fold orV bend along aline which extends` for the full Widthof the Vflat fabric or tape transversely of its length.

of movement that is parallel to the vmovement ofthe feed bars. Insuchvca'se, however, to secure the desired change of directionconcom-itantly With movement of the tape from the location atronesidepof the plane of the surface of the element 27, this being the uppersurface ofthe needle plate in this embodiment, delivery of the tapewould be elected at the. opposite side of the plane, that is, beneaththe needle 'plate in lthis embodiment, in the direction generallytowardthe front of the machine, that is, toward the right'in FIG. 5, thedirection ofmovement of they tape thenrbeingV etected upwardly intoengagement withthe thus disposed edge 177, the direction then beingchangedl from an initial upward movement of the tape over the. bend orfold deiining ledge Y177 into the given direction of movement parallelto the movement of the feed bars 29and 131. The disposition anddirections of movement provided in the embodiment shown in the drawingsand being described above, however, is preferable because horizontalmovement of the tape beneath the .auxiliary plate and the element 27 issecured clear of the operating mechanism of the sewing machine and maybecontrolled by the feed roll 215 and its presser roll 237 which also maybe disposedso as not to interfere with the other parts of the sewingmachine mechanism, as Well kas soV that this feed control device mayrelative to shaft 265 rotatable in bearings provided in f the arms of ayoke 267. Upon the shaft 119 is clamped a forked arm 269 by bolt 271; In.the oscillating movement of the shaft 119 effected by the eccentric 83,the connecting rod 167 and therbra'cket 115, a pin 27.3 carried upon `acrank disc 275 and kdisposed in a slot 277 formed betweenlthe forks ofthe arm 269 is given a reciprocating movement to effect oscillatingmovement of the disc 275. This disc is supported for rotation on theaxis of and relative to shaft 265 and is constructed similarly to thedisc 217 of FIG. ll with recesses and spring pressed ballsv in the,recessesl so asto effect intermittent unidirectional rotation of thepuller roller 263. The disposition and arrangement of the sockets andballs in the disc 275 is such, as viewed in FJGS. l and 7, that theroller 263 isl rotated clockwise on the shaft 265. By

means to be -described the puller roller 263 is pressed ,downwardly intovengagement with the puller roller 261 and the roller 261Vthen inlayy bekrotated counterclockwise onthe `shaft 119, FIG. l, this shaft beingsupported for this-rotation in brackets 279 and 2&1, FIGS. land 3 Vwhichlextend outwardly from and Vare ksupported by a plated'233 secured bybolts 285 tothe frame 1 ofthe ported for pivotal movement on a pin 28S alever 289 biased by spring 291 in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3, theright hand portion 293 of the lever being disposed for engagement with apin 295 carried by an upright 297 slidable in a casing 299, the pin 295extending through a slot SG1 in a wall of the casing 299. Uponcounterclockwise movement of the lever 289, the portion 293 thereofengages the pin 295 to move it and the upright 2&7 upwardly. rhe yoke267 is secured by bolt 203 to the lower end of upright 297 so that insuch upward movement of the upright the puller roller 263 is movedupwardly away from the puller roller 261. Within the casing 299 isdisposed a spring, not shown, engaging the upright 297 so as to biasthis upright and the yoke 267 carried thereby downwardly, thereby tobring the puller roller 263 into engagement with the puller roller 261or into engagement with the ilat fabric or tape or with the flat fabricor tape and the material sewed thereto.

in such upward and downward movement of the puller roller 263 and disc275 and the pin 273 carried thereby are moved upwardly and downwardly.It will be seen in FIG. 4 that the pin 273 thus is moved furtheroutwardly from or brought closer to the axis of vthe shaft 119, therebycorrespondingly to change the lever arm about this axis which is eectivein the forked arm 269 to apply the force to the pin 273 at a greater orless radius. Thus,

greater or less movement of the pin 273 is effected and the bracketZigi/support a strucgreater or less angular movement of the disc 275upon the axis of the shaft 265. In the reciprocating movement of theforked arm 269 and consequent reciprocating angular movement of the disc275, the roller 253 thereby is given a greater or less angular movementin the direction indicated, counterclockwise in FiG. 4, clockwise inFIG. l, to effect greater or less forward movement of the tape or of thetape and the material stitched thereto.

It will be understood, when the tape or flat fabric or the combined tapeor hat fabric and material stitched thereto are of such form andconstruction that there is variation in the thickness of the tape or ofthe tape and the material stitched thereto, that separating orapproaching movement of the roller 263 with respect to the roller 261may take place against or under the bias of the spring Within the casing299. In this embodiment, if a greater thickness of material passes intothe bight of the two rollers such as might be caused by a seam, forexample, the roller 263 `vill be lited from the roller 261 and the pin273 will move upwardly in the slot 277 and will be given a greatermovement thereby to effect a greater degree of angular movement of thepuller roller 263. This will accomplish a greater forward movement ofthe matenial which is being pulled through by the rollers 261, 263. Whenthis thick portion of the material being handled has passed the rollers261, 263, the roller 263 will drop again toward the roller 261 and lessmovement of the pin 273 and less rotational movement of the roller 263will occur to reduce the amount of material pulled forwardly by therollers in each stioke of the forked arm 2e@ effected from the eccentricS3 as above described. Having regard to the provision of the slot 3&1and the bias means for the upright 2M, this movement of the roller263 isaccomplished with the rollers 261 and 263 continuously in contact withthe tape or with the tape and the material stitched thereto.

Thus, in summary, the puller roller 261 is mounted on the shaft 1.19,this shaft being oscillated through arm driven by connecting rod'lil'?and the connections to they eccentric 83. The puller roller 261 isrotatable relative to the shaft 119; thus oscillation of the shaft 119does not cause oscillations of the roller 261 which would tend to eifectboth forward and reverse feeding movement. The forked'arm 269 which isclamped upon the shaft 119 engages the pin 273 carried upon the crankdisc 275 and in each oscillation of the shaiit 1119 this pin 273 anddisc 275 will be given an ocillating movement. Within the puller roller263 ,is disposed a one-way clutch similar to that shown in FIGURE 1l,and described above. Thus upon reciprocating movement of the shaft 119,the puller roller 263 will be moved intermittently a certain amount inone direction only. The roller 263 is supported for slidable movementvertically in the casing 299 so that when a thick place in the stitchedfabric reaches the roller 263 this roller will be lifted and this ispossible because of the engagement of the pin 273 in the forked yarm269. When such a thick place reaches this roller device, the peripheralmovement of the roller 263 will be increased because the pin 273 willengage the forked arm 269 at a greater radius and, therefore, with thesame arc of movement of the shaft 119, the pin will be moved a greaterdistance and the periphery of the roller 263 will also be moved agreater distance. Thus, a greater forward movement of the material whichis thick will be effected by the rollers 251, 263 as compared with themovement effected by these rollers when the material is thin.

rIlhe feed dog 23 will cooperate with the feed dog 19 to hold thematerial 207 and tape 195 in somewhat stretched relation as with anysewing machine. However, where the thickness of the tape or the materialstitched thereto or their combination, such as at a seam, is greater,the length of surface coming into contact with the puller rollers 261,253 is increased, but the distance between the puller roller device andthe feed dog 23 is not changed; hence the material might buckle in thisdistance and not be drawn forward uniformly if an ordinary puller devicewere used in place of the puller device just described. The latterdevice provides for taking care of such variation in thickness andeffectively cooperates with the normal feed dog 23 to maintain thefabric in the desired somewhat stretched condition so that any bucklingor folding will not be transmitted back to the feed dog; such bucklingor folding might result in the condition that the fold of the tape 19Sis not held closely against the element 27 in order that the needleshall pass through only the thickness of the strip to produce a blindstitch upon the exposed face of the tape.

It will be understood that the amount of forward movement of the tape orof the tape and the material stitched thereto may be adjusted byadjusting the position of the pin 113, FIG. 7, along the slot 116 in thebracket 115, in order to accommodate to different types of goods anddifferent degrees of stretchability both of the tape and of the materialstitched thereo. The amount of angular movement of the puller rollersZei, 263 and therefore of the forward pull which is to be effected bythese puller rollers thus is adjusted. It will be understood also,having regard to the variation in the stroke which it is possible toobtain for the crank member 225, FIGS. 1 and 2, for feeding the flatfabric or the tape to the direction changing means as described, thatthe adjustment which is possible to effect the forward pull of thestitched tape and material by the rollers 261, 263 secures concomitantoperation of these two devices. These adjustments also may be effectedso as to conform to the forward feeding of the tape and of the materialto be stitched thereto by the feeddogs 23 and 19, these two feed dogsbeing adjustable with respect to each other bythe operation of thelever,61, FIG. 1, and by adjusting the position of pin 127, FIG. 9, inthe manner described above.

In the modification of FIG. 12 and 13 the normal needle plate 311 of aconventional sewing machine is utilized on the upper surface 313 ofwhich the material to be sewed is moved in the direction of the arrow,toward the left in'FIGS. l2 and 13. This movement may be effected k bythe front feed dog 19 toward the location of the needle 21, FIG. 13.Forwardly of the needle in -the direction of movement, that is, at therear side of the needle in the machine, the rear feed dog 23 isdisposed. The feed dogs 19 and 23 are moved horizontally and verticallyin the manner which has been described above in connection with thesefeed dogs.

The conventional presser footv for holding the material to be sewed downupon the needle plate is modified in fthe embodiment of FIGS. 12 and 13and comprises a plate element 315 between which and the top surface 313of the needle plate the material to be sewed moves toward the left. Theplate element 3'15 is provided at its end disposed toward the front ofthe machine with a diagonal edge 317. In this embodiment this edge isdisposed at an angle of approximately 45 with the line of movement ofthe material, that is, with the horizontal line of movement of the feeddogs 19 and 23 but may be disposed at other suitable angle. securedthereto by suitable means is disposed a guide 319 spaced from the upperface of the plate element 315 sufficiently to provide for insertion ofthe tape into the space 321 between the plate element 315 and the guide319, this tape moving horizontally at right angles to the line ofmovement of the feedpdogs as it enters the space 321, as shown in FIG.13. The tape 195 then is turned downwardly over the diagonal edge 317and then moves horizontally toward the left in FIGS. 12 and 13 beneaththe plate element 315.

When the material to which the tape is to be stitched is fed toward theleft by the feed dog 19, the tape 195 at its bottom face will engage thetop surface of the material and the tape and the material in thisrelation will pass between the plate element 315 and the needle plate311 toward the pdller rolls, not shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 but disposedas in FIGS. 1, Sand 7. It will be understood that the tape may bedelivered downwardly toward the' needle plate from a holder, not shown,supported above the sewing machine and then may be carried horizontallyinto the space 321. The horizontal movement is continued, guided by theguide 319 until the tape is bent over the diagonal edge 317 of the plateelement 315. This diagonal edge is disposed adjacent the line ofmovement of the needle 21 transversely of the needle plate and of theplate element and so that the needle may pierce the tape at the bend orfold thereof which is formed along the line of the edge 317 of the plateelement. The stitching action is similar to that previously described tosecure the blind stitching.

As shown in FIG. 10 the stitches 209 which are exposed at an upper faceof the material 207 extend in diagonal relation to the length of thetape 195. This diagonal disposition of thel exposed part of each stitchresults from passing the needle through the fold of the tape formedalong the inclined edge 177 of the element 27. .Since this fold or thearcuate portion thereof has a cert-am eX- tent about the edge 177between the part of the tape which is disposed below the element 27 andthe part of the tape which is above this element at the edge 177, andbecause of the angular relation of the direction of movement of thesetwo parts the needle in moving downwardly first will pass through apoint on the tape which rs drsposed in a given relation to the upperedge of the iirstV part of the tape moving toward the left in FIG. l0and then, continuing through the arcuate portion, the needle again willpierce the tape below the edge 177 at a point offset from the firstpoint further toward the upper edge of the tape. The result is that thelower right hand end of the diagonalV exposed part of a stitch 209 as itappears in FIG. 10 is disposed at the first point and the upper lefthand end of the next exposed stitch to the right is disposed at thesecond point of piercing the tape, the thread between these points beingblind within the body of the tape. 'The diagonal disposition of thestitches not only contributes to the decorative appearance of the tapeat the side where the stitches appear, or at the surface of the materialsewed to the tape, but also provides for more easily Veldending the tapeand the material stitched thereto in the direction parallel to thelength of the tape, especially where the tape is elastic and thematerial is of such weave that stretching therein may take place. Inthis oase the stitches do not prevent this stretching and the elasticreturn of the tape and of the material to their nor- Above the plateelement 315 andv v rl mal positions, as is required in undergarmentsprovided with elastic tape. Y

Referring again to FIGS, 3, 4 and '7 showing the puller rollerVmechanism and to FGS. 8 and 9 showing-the mechanism for accomplishingthe horizontal reciprocating movements of the feed dogs 19 and 23, itwill be noted, by virtue of providing the extension 101 of the member977 which is secured-upon the oscillating shaft 39, that both the strokeof the downwardly extending arm M5 and, therefore, of the forked arm 269are changed whenever the amount of horizontal movement of the feed dogsis changed, this being accomplished by varying the eccentricity of theeccentric 83. The variation of this eccentricity of eccentric 83 and ofthe eccentric strap 89,

with respect to the axis of the shaft Si is accomplished by conventionalmeans disposed within housing 32S, FIG. 5, which contines a slide member327 for movement thereof transversely' of the axis of the shaft $1. Theconstruction of this device forms no part of the present in- ,ventionbut accomplishes the chan-ge of eccentricity upon operation of a pushbutton 329 adapted to be pushed into engagement with a notch 331 forholding a part 33 Y against movement when the shaft 81 is rotated byhand.

The simultaneous adjustment, however,` of the horizontal movement of thefeed dogs and the stroke of the Vforked arm 269 is thereby accomplishedan increase or decrease of the forward pull of the tape by the pullerrollers, or of the tape and the material stitchedrthereto, are securedwhen the amount of feeding movementof the feed dogs is increased ordecreased.

Although ein the embodiment described and shown more particularly inFIGS. 3 and 4 mechanical drive of the upper puller'roller 263 isefectedthrough the arm 115, the forked arm 269, the pin 273fanddisc 275, ifdesired thefshaft 119 may be .disposed in relation tov the upperpullerroller 263 as thisshaftfis disposed in relation to theflowerpuller roller 261, FIG, 3. The positions. ofV the forkedV arm 269 and ofthe crank disc 27S may be inverted, the clutch device being'suitablydisposed so that the lower puller roller 261 is positively driven andthe upper roller 263 held in engagement with the lower roller 261 isdriven thereby by friction. The same advantageas to securing a greatermovement of the tape, or of the tape and the material stitched thereto,is provided in such modification. v n v The invention has'been describedin connection with a sewing machine designed principallyfor industrialoperations, the conventional needle plate having been modified toprovide the auxiliary plate and the direction changing element'27 or theplate element 315., It will be understood that the essential features ofthe invention may be embodied in machines of different design and fordifferent purposes and that diierent devices for effecting the feedingmovements accomplished by the feed dogs and for support of the fabric ortape and of the material to be sewed ther-etc may be used to suitdifferent conditions of operation, the essential feature being retainedof changing the direction of movement of lthe flat fabric or flat tapefrom an initial directionv to the given direction as described, so as toform a bend or fold transversely of the fia-t fabric or tapethroughwhich the stitch may be f passed. Other means than those shown in thedrawings also may be provided for feedingtthe tapeito the directionchanging means, as well as to effect the change of angular movement ofthe puller rollers in correspondence with the separation of the rollersto accommodate variations in the thickness of the materials passingtherebetween. All such variations are intended to come Within the scopeof the appendedclams.

I claim: Y v

l. ln a sewing machine the combination with a needle plate having feedslot therein, said needle plate having an upper surface and an extentfor supporting yin fia-trelation to said upper surfacea flat fabric toybe stitched, said fabric-having a predetermined width, a needlesupported for movement lengthwise thereof in a line of move-menttransverse to said upper surface of said needle plate, and meanscooperating with said needle plate for effecting feeding movement of theflat fabric lengthwise thereof transversely of its width in a givendirection over said upper surface of said needle plate and transverselyof the line of movement of the needle, of means for effecting deliveryof said fiat fabric lengthwise thereof toward said line of movement ofthe needle, in a path extending beneath said needle plate in a directiontransverse to said given direction, and in a plane generally parallel tosaid given direction, from a location at the side of said plate oppositeto said upper surface thereof, and means disposed adjacent said path ofdelivery and engaging the flat fabric for changing the direction ofmovement of said fiat fabric from said direction of said path ofdelivery to said given direction, said direction changing means engagingsaid flat fabric in changing said direction of movement thereof toeffect folding of said flat fabric upon a line which is in a planegenerally parallel to said upper surface of said needle plate and whichextends transversely of said given direction in inclined relation bothto said given direction and to said direction of said path of delivery,said line being disposed adjacent the line of movement of the needle andso that said needle pierces the fabric adjacent the outer face thereofat said fold to produce a stitch that is blind at the face of the fabricwithin said fold, said direction-changing means comprising an edgeportion of said needle plate providing an edge engage-d by a face ofsaid fiat fabric as it moves lengthwise thereof and over which edge saidfabric changes its direction of movement, said edge determining saidline which extends transversely of said given direction.

2. In a sewing machine for sewing together a length of a flat fabric ofpredetermined width and a piece of material in facing relation theretothe combination as defined in claim l in which said means cooperatingwith said needle plate for effecting feeding movement of the dat fabriccomprises a rear feed dog disposed in relation to said line of foldingof the fiat fabric spaced forwardly in said given direction of movementof said fabric to engage the lower surface of said flat fabric advancingin said given direction from said direction-changing means in datrelation to said upper surface of said needle plate, and a front feeddog disposed in alignment with said given direction of movement of thefiat fabric and at the front side of said transverse line of foldingwith respect to said rear feed dog `for feeding said piece of materialin said given direction forward'lyinto lapping engagement with said flatfabric adjacent said line of folding so that said piece of material islocated on the upper surface. of said flat fabric as said fabricadvances in said given direction from said direction-changing means andso that the needle effects stitching of said piece of material to saidflat fabric blind at the face of said dat fabric opposite to said lappedmaterial.

3. In a sewing machine the combination as defined in claim 2 whichcomprises puller means engaging said flat fabric and said piece ofmaterial moving in said given direction from said rear feed dog foreffecting said movement in said given direction concomitantly with thedelivery of said flat fabric by said delivery means to maintain saidflat fabric in said at relation to said face of said needle plate forengagement with said rear feed dog and to maintain the bending of saidfiat fabric at said line extending transversely of said given directionas said flat fabric moves past said line, said puller means comprising apuller roller supported for rotation on its axis and disposed forwardlyof said rear feed dog in said given direction and adjacent said fiatfabric and said piece of material, a backing roller supported forrotation on its axis and disposed adjacent and cooperating with saidpuller roller for engaging the fiat fabric and the piece of materialpassing between said rollers as said fabric and material move forwardlyfrom said rear feed dog, and means for undirectionally rotating one ofsaid rollers to effect said movement in said -given direction asaforesaid.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5Bosworth Dec. 11, 1877 Arbes Aug. 6, 1901 De Voe Nov. 4, 1919 De VoeNov. 4, 1919 Hughes Mar. 10, 1925 10 Mueller June 8, 1926 18 Seaman Dec.24, 1935 Riviere May 11, 1937 Buono Feb. 15, 1938 Sigoda Oct. 31, 1950Dickerman Feb. 17, 1953 Lakso Ian. 8, 1957 Reimer Sept. 1, 1959 CantilApr. 17, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Dec. 22, 1933

1. IN A SEWING MACHINE THE COMBINATION WITH A NEEDLE PLATE HAVING FEEDSLOT THEREIN, SAID NEEDLE PLATE HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE AND AN EXTENTFOR SUPPORTING IN FLAT RELATION TO SAID UPPER SURFACE A FLAT FABRIC TOBE STITCHED, SAID FABRIC HAVING A PREDETERMINED WIDTH, A NEEDLESUPPORTED FOR MOVEMENT LENGTHWISE THEREOF IN A LINE OF MOVEMENTTRANSVERSE TO SAID UPPER SURFACE OF SAID NEEDLE PLATE, AND MEANSCOOPERATING WITH SAID NEEDLE PLATE FOR EFFECTING FEEDING MOVEMENT OF THEFLAT FABRIC LENGTHWISE THEREOF TRANSVERSELY OF ITS WIDTH IN A GIVENDIRECTION OVER SAID UPPER SURFACE OF SAID NEEDLE PLATE AND TRANSVERSELYOF THE LINE OF MOVEMENT OF THE NEEDLE, OF MEANS FOR EFFECTING DELIVERYOF SAID FLAT FABRIC LENGTHWISE THEREOF TOWARD SAID LINE OF MOVEMENT OFTHE NEEDLE, IN A PATH EXTENDING BENEATH SAID NEEDLE PLATE IN A DIRECTIONTRANSVERSE TO SAID GIVEN DIRECTION, AND IN A PLANE GENERALLY PARALLEL TOSAID GIVEN DIRECTION, FROM A LOCATION AT THE SIDE OF SAID PLATE OPPOSITETO SAID UPPER SURFACE THEREOF, AND MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID PATH OFDELIVERY AND ENGAGING THE FLAT FABRIC FOR CHANGING THE DIRECTION OFMOVEMENT OF SAID FLAT FABRIC FROM SAID DIRECTION OF SAID PATH OFDELIVERY TO SAID GIVEN DIRECTION, SAID DIRECTION CHANGING MEANS ENGAGINGSAID FLAT FABRIC IN CHANGING SAID DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT THEREOF TOEFFECT FOLDING OF SAID FLAT FABRIC UPON A LINE WHICH IS IN A PLANEGENERALLY PARALLEL TO SAID UPPER SURFACE OF SAID NEEDLE PLATE AND WHICHEXTENDS TRANSVERSELY OF SAID GIVEN DIRECTION INCLINED RELATION BOTH TOSAID GIVEN DIRECTION AND TO SAID DIRECTION OF SAID PATH OF DELIVERY,SAID LINE BEING DISPOSED ADJACENT THE LINE OF MOVEMENT OF THE NEEDLE ANDSO THAT SAID NEEDLE PIERCES THE FABRIC ADJACENT THE OUTER FACE THEREOFAT SAID FOLD TO PRODUCE A STITCH THAT IS BLIND AT THE FACE OF THE FABRICWITHIN SAID FOLD, SAID DIRECTION-CHANGING MEANS COMPRISING AN EDGEPORTION OF SAID NEEDLE PLATE PROVIDING AN EDGE ENGAGED BY A FACE OF SAIDFLAT FABRIC AS IT MOVES LENGTHWISE THEREOF AND OVER WHICH EDGE SAIDFABRIC CHANGES ITS DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT, SAID EDGE DETERMINING SAIDLINE WHICH EXTENDS TRANSVERSELY OF SAID GIVEN DIRECTION.